Apple Licenses 1-Click from Amazon.com

Apple announced that it has licensed Amazon.com’s controversial 1-Click ordering patent for use at the online Apple store to speed users’ purchases. Apple is the first company that’s not affiliated with Amazon.com to license the patent. After a person signs up for 1-Click ordering, which stores personal billing and shipping information, he or she can buy items without going through the typical multi-step ordering process. Although many online retailers offer a variation of 1-Click ordering, Amazon was granted a patent on its implementation in February 2000 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (see "Amazon.com Awarded Affiliate Program Patent" in TidBITS 520). Other online merchants and figures, such as publisher Tim O’Reilly, have criticized the patent. Apple’s license also includes the use of the 1-Click trademark, and is no doubt as much of a marketing opportunity as an improvement to its online ordering process.